Chinese firm Zhongshan open to talks over presidential jets seizure
Zhongshan, the Chinese company involved in the seizure of three Nigerian government presidential jets, has expressed its readiness to enter into discussions with Nigerian officials.
The company reiterated its commitment to resolving the dispute amicably. The jets were seized due to a financial disagreement between Zhongshan and the Ogun State government, stemming from the termination of Zhongshan’s export processing zone management contract by Ogun State in 2016.
The seized jets include a Dassault Falcon 7X at Le Bourget airport in Paris, a Boeing 737, and an undelivered Airbus A330 at Basel-Mulhouse airport in Switzerland. The latter was purchased by Nigeria but has not yet been delivered.
An independent arbitral tribunal, chaired by a former UK Supreme Court President, awarded Zhongshan approximately $74.5 million in compensation. Despite the federal government’s attempts to resolve the matter, Ogun State has not yet complied with the award.
In a statement released on Thursday, Zhongshan announced its willingness to engage in serious negotiations with the Federal Government of Nigeria. The statement highlighted Zhongshan’s confidence in its case, referencing the tribunal’s unanimous decision and the enforcement of the award by courts in multiple countries.
The statement noted, “Zhongshan has only ever sought to assert its rights under international law and is confident in its case. The independent arbitral panel ruled in our favor, and various courts have supported this. The French court was fully aware of the circumstances when it made its decision. The Ogun Free Trade Zone was recognized as a significant international investment by the Economist Intelligence Unit.”
Zhongshan added that it is prepared for serious negotiations with the Nigerian government and is awaiting a signal that the government is similarly inclined.
On Thursday, Ogun State’s Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, Hon. Kayode Akinmade, revealed that Zhongshan had initially shown willingness to consider Ogun State’s offer but later insisted on full debt payment. Akinmade noted that Ogun State became aware of Zhongshan’s provisional attachment of Nigerian aircraft in France and two court orders from the Judicial Court of Paris obtained without notice to the Nigerian government or its legal representatives.
Akinmade criticized Zhongshan for what he described as attempts to attach Nigerian assets abroad without proper disclosure, arguing that the aircraft are immune from attachment under international and French law due to their sovereign use. Ogun State, in coordination with the Federal Government of Nigeria, is working to have the provisional attachments lifted.
The presidency has accused Zhongshan of attempting to seize Nigeria’s offshore assets through deceitful means, and both the presidency and Ogun State are taking steps to overturn the court orders.
